Monthly Archives: July 2011

07.28.11
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Guest post from Mark Etheridge

I have been out of the office some on vacation and such, and Mark took the reigns. Check out his newsletter to the Grove:

Good Thursday afternoon to you all!!

 

This is Mark Etheridge for the second straight week. Pastor Josh is on vacation this week, and so he asked me to send out the weekly “Get Connected” newsletter! Here are a few things that have been going on this week as well as a schedule for upcoming events:

It is hard to believe that the summer is almost over! I don’t know if you feel the same as me, but I feel like it just got started! This is my next too last week here at the Grove as a student ministry intern, and this has been the best summer of my life without a doubt, and I am so privileged to be a part of this ministry the way I have been this summer! I will definitely miss being around here once school starts back!

We had a great service at the Grove this week! We had a great crowd, and we also had some new students who came for the first time! We’re continuing through our study of the book of James, and I taught this week out of the end of chapter 3 and went through chapter 4 as well. The main emphasis this section focuses on is humility. I sought to convey to our students that submitting to the Lord is essential, and that humility is what someone must have in coming to Christ for the first time, and that humility should be a lifestyle after coming to Christ. We did a Slip N’ Slide after the service, and this was a lot of fun! The kids really enjoyed it, and so did we as leaders!

Even though the summer is almost over, we still have several events before it ends as well as many things going on as we move into the 2011-2012 school year:

This is just a reminder that the 2011-2012 Word of Life year is approaching quickly. If you have not registered your student online yet, you can do so through our website by clicking on the “Word of Life Registration” link. Please register your student ASAP.

 

 

  • July 31 – Pot Luck Leaders Mtg. – If you are interested in serving in the Grove for the 2011-2012 year, we want you at this lunch mtg. We will be going over some important information regarding the new year. This is for all Student, College, and Adult leaders who are interested in working in The Grove this coming year. Please bring your leader application to this meeting! Also. each leader is responsible for bringing a meat, vegetable or a salad, or a dessert. Please let us know what you are bringing by tomorrow (Friday). Lori Beard is the contact for notifying what you will be bringing.  Make plans to be there for this. We will not be doing a leader Wednesday night this year so this is extremely important that you are present. Brian Baker will be doing small group training, and we will be explaining some new ideas and information for the 2011-2012 WOL year. Also, your spouse is more than welcome to attend even if they do not plan to work in The Grove this coming year. Childcare will also be provided, but please notify us ahead of time so we can know how many people we will need.
  • August 1-3 – Jr. High Girls Beach Trip (For questions contact Abby Evans- 336-953-6916)
  • August 1 – Grove guys Event to Nascar Speed Park – The cost will be $26.00 per person. The deadline to sign-up is this Sunday, July 31. Please sign-up and be ready to pay your money on this date.
  • August 3- Hoedown at the Hege’s- This will be the last Summer Sizzler service of the summer. We will be doing a “Hoedown” theme night at the home of some of our adult leaders, Sammy and Missy Hege. We will be meeting at the church at 5:00 P.M. and will be returning to the church at 8:00 P.M. This service will include worship, food, games, a bonfire, and the students are encouraged to dress ready for a hoedown!!
  • August 17 – Parent Night at the Grove – There will be no Grove, but ALL parents of students in the Grove are encouraged to come out to find out some important information regarding the new year. Parents, make plans to attend. This will be a great opportunity to get to know Pastor Josh and his wife Abby, as well.
  • August 12-13 – Leadership Retreat – The cost will be $50 per person and ALL leaders are encouraged to attend so we can share the vision for the entire year. The $50 includes zip line, bowling, lodging, and all of your meals. Sign up with Pastor Josh asap. The deadline to sign-up for this event is Sunday, August 7.
  • August 27 – Winston Salem Dash Game – The cost will be $9 per person.
  • October 22 – Liberty Scaremare (More information coming soon)
  • January 27-28 – Ski Retreat (registration form with prices- listed on our website under downloads)
  • March 10 – Area Teens Involved
  • April 13-14 – Regional Teens Involved

I understand that there is a ton going on, and we are trying to keep you as informed as possible as well as keep the cost as low as possible. I also have listed some long term events on in to 2012 so you can schedule your calendar accordingly.

If you ever have questions or want quick information regarding the Grove, check out our facebook page or check out the website at ugbconline.com. On the website, you will find a helpful Grove page with information and downloads that will be a help to you. Also, please follow us on twitter (@ugbcgrove) for instant information regarding the Grove.

07.27.11
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Reasons your marriage is going to make it!

Perry Noble is the pastor of Newspring church in SC. They have 5 different campuses in the area, and they are planning on beginning new campuses soon! I really like Perry. There are things that he does, that I would not do, but there is no doubt he loves God and the Gospel! We are in agreement about that. I love reading his blog about leadership and family. Today, he posted this blog that I thought was awesome! It is in regards to your family. It is tough to balance family and ministry, but he gives several helpful principles. Check it out:

#1 – Because you are willing to swallow your pride and ask for help, understanding that you are NOT the first married couple that has ever had trials and struggles.

#2 – Because you are willing to stop pointing out all of the problems your spouse has and begin to beg God to reveal your shortcomings to you so that you can focus on the changes you need to make.  (I will focus on my responsibilities and not my “rights!”)

#3 – Because you will stop investing tons of time in Facebook and reruns of movies you have already seen and actually begin talking to your spouse again, you know…like you did when you were dating.

#4 – Because you will listen to what the LORD says about marriage instead of listening to singles who are bitter and/or people who can’t seem to stay out of someone else’s bed!

#5 – Because Galatians 6:9 packs a promise that is worth holding on to!

#6 – Because you understand that two people who are willing to love Jesus first and then one another can overcome any problem or trial that comes their way!

#7 – Because you are going to commit to spending quality time together and actually date one another at least once a week…WITHOUT the kids or the cell phone.

#8 – Because you are going to continually practice forgiveness towards your spouse in regards to the way they have hurt you in the past.  (If someone is unwilling to forgive a spouse for a sin or sins that have been confessed and repented of they can ultimately destroy a marriage.)

#9 – Because you are going to make attending and being involved in a local church a priority!

#10 – Because your kids need to see a godly example of what marriage looks like so that they have something to look forward to.

07.25.11
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An Inward Transformational Change

Recently, our student ministry began a study in the book of James. Mark Etheridge and I have been going through the book with our students each Wednesday night. It is not teaching that I have never heard before, but it is some teaching that I feel has finally hit me. I personally have come a long way during this study! Let me just say that the theme of James is faith that works. The title that we chose for the series is, “living out what lies within.” That is the meaning of the addition of the word works in the theme of the book. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not works, lest any man should boast.” We come to Jesus on the basis of our faith in Jesus and His plan! It is nothing that we do to come to Jesus. It is just simply placing our faith in Him. The point of James is that if someone is truly saved, they WILL work. There will be fruit in a person’s life. Now, here is what God is teaching me:

The point of James is an inward faith that results in an outward life. If I am truly saved, it is inward. It is a transformational change that takes place from the inside out. It is a heart issue. Too often in church life (I have been guilty), we tend to focus on the outward. We focus on what a person wear’s, the type of Christian music that they listen too, the groups they associate with, the pastors that they fellowship with, and even their amusements. My daughter has given me a new perspective. I do not care if she wears pants in church or listens to contemporary music as long as her heart is right! Her heart is what matters to me, and more importantly, her heart matters to God. We tend to focus on the list of things we as believers must do. Let me just say that if a person’s heart is right, the list will be okay and right as well.

“Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith.” Are you in the faith? Are you saved, or are you just trying to work out things on the outside without an inward transformational change that only a relationship with Jesus can bring?

07.18.11
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Powerful Service

Last night was one of the most powerful services that I have ever been a part of. Don’t you just love it when God decides to show up in some amazing ways? Last night was one of those nights. It started out with some incredible music. I praise the Lord for our music director, and how he is committed to being yielded to the Spirit, and what He wants him to share with the church. The music portion of the service is so important in that it prepares the people for the Word of God that will be preached. As we sang and uplifted the Lord Jesus, the church congregation were completely drawn to worship. Then, we had the students share what they had learned at camp! We had some unbelievably challenging and convicting testimonies from our teens. I personally challenged me to become more faithful in my desire for the Word of God. They also challenged us to love people the way that Jesus loves people! Do we really genuinely love people the moment that they walk into our church building? Jesus did! He loved everyone equally regardless of their status.

Then, our Pastor got up to speak. He has really been growing in his walk lately, and has burdened for our church family. He spoke a short and to the point message on our response to the Word of God. The Lord used him in the hearts of our people to make life change decisions. I loved seeing the altars filled at the end of the service. It was such a blessing to be a part of a service where God was truly glorified and the church was encouraged!

07.14.11
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Thursday at WOL Camp 2011

Today was definitely a bit more relaxed. Now that Teens Involved is over, our students have some  more time to relax. Yesterday I posted the Teens Involved results, and was so proud of our kids! We have a great group of students, and I truly count it a privilege to be serving them this summer. This morning’s service was great, and our speaker, Paul Woods, really hit on some practical things that are commanded out of I Peter 4. What Pastor Paul really hit on this morning was loving others in spite of some people being unlovable. He really encouraged the teens especially to reach out to those that are younger than them, and to love them like Jesus loves us.

We also had a basketball tournament this evening. This tournament consists of several teams including a team for us leaders, which we are always titled throughout the week as “Squishes.” Sammy Hege and myself played on the “Squishy” team. Even though our team did not do the greatest, we still had a lot of fun. It was also good just being around our kids, and we definitely appreciated them cheering us on!

Tonight was the campfire service. Ric Garland spoke in this service and it was incredibly challenging. Rick challenge came from James 4:6 which says, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” It was a challenge for our students to leave authentic lives and do this by humbling ourselves and repenting of our sins before God. It was very challenging for me as well, and I realized the importance I have as a leader in helping our kids follow through with decisions they have made during the week.

Something that I would ask praying for is that our students will follow through with the decisions they have made this week. Many times students will make decisions on nights like this, then they will go home, mess up, then think because they messed up a few times there no need to try anymore. This is obviously not true,  but it is a trap that Satan uses luring our students away from their commitments. So it is a necessity that we pray for our kids, and that they will rest in the grace that Jesus has given them, and that when they do fall (because we all do!) they will get back up and cling to the grace that is found is Jesus. Tomorrow is our last day of camp, and God is working in the lives of our students, and they need us to help them once they have made these decisions for Christ. Please continue to pray for them as we finish out our last day of camp tomorrow!

Mark

07.13.11
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Teens Involved Results

Hey guys! We just finished the Teens Involved Banquet and Awards. Here are the results:

Senior High Choir: 2nd Place- “Just As I Am”

Junior High Drama: 4th Place- “How to Pray”

Junior High Group Puppets: 4th Place- “Incident Near a Snake Farm”; 5th Place- “It’s Good to be a Frog”

Senior High Instrumental Group: 4th Place- “You are Holy”

Junior High Instrumental Solo: 5th Place- Chelsea Frye

Senior High Instrumental Solo: 4th Place- Kristina Mauk

Junior High Piano Solo: 3rd Place- Kimberly Grogan

Senior High Piano Solo: 4th Place- J.T. Wilt

Junior High Small Vocal Group: 2nd Place- “Orphans of God”

Senior High Quiz Blitz: 1st Place- Grove Knights; 5th Place- Grove Giants

Senior High Video Presentation: 3rd Place- Austin Jordan and Matthew Mauk

Senior High Expository/Topical Preaching: 1st Place- Nathan Page

Our students did a great job and we are very proud of them! It is awesome to see so many of our students participating in Teens Involved. This is an awesome way to equip students now and also for many years in the future!

Mark

07.12.11
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Day #4 of WOL Camp 2011

Today was a great day and we had a lot of fun! This morning’s message  was from Paul Woods out of I Peter 2. He spoke on experience and how we are not just Christians by title, but by our experiences from conversion and until we one day meet Jesus. It was a message that was very encouraging and challenging to be one who experiences God by living out the Christian faith.

The night service was titled “BI Night.” “BI” stands for “Bible Institute.” Word of Life is not only a camp, but is also a Bible Institute and Conference Center during the year. Actually, the counselors of our kids this week are those who have attended the “BI” this past year and are now completing the Bible Institute program as a camp counselor. It was a night that promoted the Bible Institute and let the students get a glimpse of what it is like. We had several speakers (including one of the professors) give lectures and let the students in on some things they could expect were they too attend someday. I was very impressed with the presentation and the emphasis they placed on the study of God’s Word. This is really what we need whether we are church leaders are not. We all need to know God’s Word, and I think the Bible Institute is a great place to attend to become further grounded in the truth of the Scriptures.

Today was also our last day of Teens Involved. The last event our students competed in for the week was the quiz blitz. We had two teams compete and both of them did very well! Our team the “Grove Giants” placed 5th and missed the championship game by only one point! Our other team, the “Grove Knights” took 1st place of the entire quiz blitz competition! This is the 3rd year in a row this team has won the quiz blitz competition! It was an intense game, and it literally came down to the last question. But in the end, our team won by one point! It was awesome, and we were all so excited to see our kids win the competition for a 3rd straight year! Tomorrow, we will have the Teens Involved Banquet and we will know the final results of our events!

Tonight, there is a pizza/pool party. This is what the students are doing tonight. I was down there a bit ago, and ran into a few of our students, and they were having a blast! I am really enjoying seeing our kids having such a good time, and I know how it is because I was once a camper here and remember how fun it was! But more importantly, I am excited to see what God is doing and will be doing in the lives of our students spiritually.

Mark

07.12.11
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Third Day of WOL Camp 2011

Hey guys! Wanted to give another update on what’s happening down here at camp! Today was an action-packed day with lots of things going on! First off, today’s services were awesome! This morning we were introduced to our speaker for the week, Paul Woods. Paul is the youth pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL. Pastor Josh was actually able to work under Paul in his student ministry while attending Trinity Baptist College. This morning, he started our morning series titled “Livestrong.” We will be looking into the book of I Peter this week and examining how we are enabled to live above just “getting by”  because of what Jesus has accomplished through the cross. Ric Garland spoke again in the night service and hit on some things we have been talking about this summer in our James series “Living Out What Lies Within” at the GROVE. Particularly, he spoke from Philippians 2 and how we are to reach out to others in our youth groups and not disregard others because they are different than us, but to accept them and love them as Christ loves them.

Teens Involved was also going on today. It was our busiest day of T.I. competitions. Everyone else competed today, except for the two Quiz Blitz teams who will compete tomorrow. It was a very busy day of competitions, but it was so encouraging seeing our students serve the LORD in what He has gifted them in! We have some awesome students who have some much potential!

One of the highlights of the day (at least for me) was tonight’s talk back time. We began to talk about tonight’s message on how we are to treat others equally and welcome those who may be different than us. I was amazed at the students who spoke up in front of their peers about this topic and was greatly encouraged by their perspectives. God is definitely working in the lives of our teens, and it’s awesome! I love this place, and I love to see students grasping what God’s Word has to say! I am so excited about what the LORD is doing here, and how He is going to use our students now and in the future!

Mark

07.11.11
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Experiencing life in the center of the will of God

Experiencing Life in the center of the will of God

Psalm 139:6 (David) says, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.”

Did you know that it is possible for you to live in the very center of the will of God?

Tom Messer said, “To be in God’s will is to maximize your potential in fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. It is to experience everything to the fullness of life that God intends for you to experience. The fullness of life comes not through people or things. It is found through a relationship with God where you are in His will that is perfect and acceptable for you!

Colossians 4:12 says, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring ferverently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

The will of God is not just a place or a geographic location. It is a lifestyle that we are called to live in every minute of every day. The greatest myth when it comes to God’s will is that God wants me to know everything about the past, present, and future of your life. Sometimes, He don’t give answers or let us in on the inside scoop of our lives. He chooses to bring us to the point where we do not know what to do so therefore the only answer we have is to leave it to Him.

Here are just a couple of reminders to help you experience life in the center of the will of Go

1.        God’s will is always perfert 

God is too wise to make plans that are anything remotely short of perfect. We see only a limited view of life from our humanistic minds. We see the fragments of the past and a glimpse of the present. God sees the past, present, and future of your life at one time. Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

Have you ever tried to get directions from several different people? You get tons of different answers. Everyone believes that there way is the best way to get to the destination. We view life this way sometimes. We tend to maybe not verbally say that our way is best, but we live like it. God is saying to that, I am holy, I am immutable, I am sinless, I am omnipotent, I am omnipresent, and I am omniscient. You can trust Me, I cannot fail! His plans are perfect!

You will never be in God’s will until you get rid of your own will. Too many of us are coming to church and trying to do more, when God wants us to give more. Life is not about getting all you can out of God. It is about giving all we have to God. It is about giving ourselves to His will. It is the laying down of your will and yielding to His will! Can you say that you honestly say that you care only about God and His will, or are you so consumed with what you want out of life? You need to get to where you do not care what you have or don’t have, but that you care only about the will of God being carried out!

 No plan of yours can ever improve on the plans of God

2.       You can do God’s will and still encounter pain and suffering

 This, I believe, is the toughest thing to grasp about His will for the believer, but you must grasp this.

If you are standing firm in the perfect will of God, you are entirely and fully equipped to deal with any problem that comes into your life! Sometimes, I feel like we view the will of God as a pain free environment. Almost like a video game mindset. The Christian like is not a video game, it is real life. I Peter 4:19 says, “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God…” There is suffering that comes in our lives. Suffering is in our lives to perfect us and to grow us into His image. James 1:2 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” There will be suffering in the believer’s life, but you will be okay, because if the suffering is His will, it is divine and perfect!

Learn to give God the glory through the suffering.

II Corinthians 8:9 says, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” You and I cannot handle suffering here for Him, but yet He encountered the greatest amount of suffering for you and me so we could have life. No amount of suffering you can possibly have on this earth will ever come close to the suffering that He experienced to redeem you! You say, you do not know the pain that my family and I have experienced. Just be thankful you didn’t have to wear the crown of thorns!

3.       You choose to do life in or out of God’s will

If you choose to do life in His will, you will experience His best.

Learn to refrain from the world’s influence. We are in a battle. The devil is using his wiles, schemes, and strategies to try and destroy you. The fullness of life comes when you are in the perfect will of God.

Allow God to transform you. Part of being in the center of His will is so that God can transform you! You are the object of God’s transformation. Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Have you ever tried to change something about you and after a bit of time, you resorted back? Too much of Christian teaching gives a list of things you need to do and a list of things you cannot do, and then you will be a good Christian. Then, you will experience the fullness of God. The point is you cannot try hard enough to transform your life. It must come from an inward change that takes place that will affect and alter the way that you live on the outside. The inward transformational change only comes through Jesus Christ. Allow God to transform your life.

Cultivate an Appetite for the Word of God. Read, memorize, meditate, and apply it. The Word is what renews your mind! You must be getting a daily dose of the Word of God if you expect to live in the center of His will.

I John 2:17 says, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but He that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

God’s perfect will has a lasting quality in that it abideth forever! Everything earthly that we seek to fill ourselves with will pass away, but we can rest assure living in the will of God, you will abide forever.